Motor starting circuit



All@ 23, A1932- J. T. FlTzslMMoNs 1,873,117

' MOTOR STARTING CIRCUIT Filed Nov. 7, 1930 jf yf Patented Aug. 23, 1932 JOHN'T. FITZSIMMON S, OF ANDERSON, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO mcs! narco-REMY oonPonA- TION, OF ANDERSON, INDIANA, .A CORPORATION OF DELAXVQABE -MOTOR STARTING ,CllftCUIT`A Application led November 7',v 1930 Serial No. 494,015;y

' This invention relates to automotive electric systems, and is particularly concerned with the ignition and starting circuits.

One of the objects ot the instant invention is to provide adequate means for increasing the primary ampere turns in the ignition circuit at the timeot starting. Y

A further object of the invention isto augment the current impression upon an ignition circuit,'at a time when rconsiderable Aenergy. is being drawn from a common source, as in the instance of driving the starting kinotor. i

A further object of the invention is to provide a system'and means of the type indicated that will besubstantially automatic in its operation.

A further obje-ct' of the invention is `to improve ignition and starting circuits in general.

Y Further objects and advantages ot the present invention will be apparent tromthe tollowing description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing wherein a preferred embodiment of one tormof the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawing: Y p

The accompanyingdiagram illustrates a circuit of the electrical connections in this improved system. f j

Referring particularly to the drawing, indicates a source of current as a battery B having ground connection at 2l by 'lead 22,

and a feed line 23 from which various c ircuits are made through the agency of proper connections. One of these circuits is a charging circuit including a generator or charging unit 24 grounded at25 and connected with the common conductor 23 by means of a lead 26, there being a cut-out relay 27 interposed between the generator and battery all as is well' known to those skilled in the art. Y

A second circuitemanating from the battery source 20 is the ignition circuit and includes aconductor 30 to which is joined a lead 3l in communication with one end of a fixed resistance 32 that has electrical communication with the primary winding 33 of an ignition coil by means of proper conductors 34 and 35. `After traversing the primary winding the energy of the battery source passes along a lead 36 to an ignition switch 37, which if closed communicates a terminal 33 of a timer mechanism 39 by means of a lead 40. 'The timer 39 is of conventionalfform including a fixed contact point 40 grounded as at 41, and a movable contact point 42 carried by an arm 43 that is urged to follow the Vcontour of a vcam 44 by reason of a spring 45 in electrical communication with theterminal 38 heretofore mentioned.

The lever 43 is. pivoted to lthe circuit breaker 39 as at 46,'and includes a rubbing block 47 engaging the surface of the cam 44. The kcircuit breaker cam is inv substantial rigid driving relation with a rotor 50 of a distributor 5l by means of a common shaft 52 and it is understood that rotation ofthe cam, 44, in addition to producing the perlodic movement ot the circuit breaker lever 43 to open and close circuits through the contactsV 40 and 42, will drive. the distributor arm 50 in timed "relation therewith, lall as is usual and well known to those experienced in the art. 'The distributor 51 `further includes spaced terminals 53, 54, 55, 56 and the like, that have electrical communication with the spark gaps 57,there being one `for each cylindefr of the vehicle, by reasonl of the respective leads 5,8, 59, 60 and 61, the opposite side of the gaps having a grounded connection as at 62, usually forming the engine block.

y A secondary winding inductively associated with the primary 33'has electrical communication with ythe lead 35 Vby conductor 66 y' i joined at 67, and thence by way of conductor 68 forms a. path of electricalv communication with the rotor 50, wherel it may befconnected asat69. v 'Y y Itis obvious .that voltagev impression from the source 20 through the resistance 32 upon the primary winding`33 will induce a current of highpotential upon the' secondary 65, dependent upon the relation of the windings 33 and 65, and that rotation of the timer sha-ft 52, as itis called, will produce periodic breaks in the primary circuit which will in effect producesimilar periodic impressions along the secondary circuit, andV the break ot' the primary circuitbeing timed,y with the movement 1 circuitis energized... It .Will be ,observed that.

of the rotor 50, sparking impulses of high potential Will be delivered in proper sequence over the distributor terminals 53 and 56 1nclusive, Which Will be manifest at the asso- A third circuit connectedfawith the common f source 20, is that of the starting motor and includes a conductor 70, with a starting'motorv switch 7l and a lead 72, making connection with the proper conductor 73 vof "astarting" motor 74 grounded lat 7 5, it `beingobvious` that depression of theswitch 71l VWill bridge the conductors and72, so as to energize the starting motor. circuit, as is'- usual and Well'knovvn to those skilled in the art.l Practice demonstrates that. .When the switch is actuated or the starting motor circuit is ene-rgized, the draft of energy from the single source isusually so great as to leave insuflicientcurrent for.. the ignition .circuit for proper operation, and ifV the voltage pressure of. theV sourceshouldbe low to start With,v it is. probable that the voltage impression upon the primary-,33.Wouldfbetoolow to produce eftectivesparking impulsesl at the 'gap'. 57, or that. would 'resultv 1in. ready vand properiring of the, cylinder charge...

. vTo evercome this difliculty ahy-pass, Vasymmetric cell. or rectifier 8:0, istherefore hooked in parallelabout the resistance 32, `by means.

of aalead 8l connected tothe lead 72 vand a second conductor 82 v.joining vwith-thecondu tor .35'.` This,.in effect, introduces 4a onefway.

valveinto the ignition circuitysoas to automatically cut out. the resistance `in. the normalignitionA circuit: .Whenever the. starting motor closing.. gof .acircuit through .the e,conductor 70. and'. 7 2 vby* the switch. 71,. also'closesa circuit throughl the .electric valve or. asymmetric cell' thus, formingaE path of lesser.. resistance through .the primaryV circuit of the'. ignition system, since .current :from the .source 2() Will Vtraverse the celly SO-more readily thanit will.k

the relatively high-.resistance 32...

lFromrthe .above disclosure it will. be' seen'- that means havebeen. devisedii'or automati-A Y cally reducingthe .resistance ofv they ignition fai Cil

circuit, Whenever, andy at every time, the-autof-V vmotive engine is started.. This occurs reason of the fact that thevalve 80 is Vinparallel vviththe resistance 321and is switched'into the ignition circuit coincident of .the closing ot .1,671,247, inWhich useis made of aAcopper/oxidelayer intermediate a-copper platerand .a1 lead plate. 'i

- Although this .type ofl valve orgrectifier preferable Yfrom the applicants standpoint, the invention is not limited to that particular type as any other suitable rectiier may be used. But at all events the characteristics of the rectifier are that it shall'have a very louT resista-nce tocurrents passing in one direction, as for instance, currents passing from the source through the switchl, the valve 80, and thence to the conductor 35, .While it shall have a very'hi'gh 'resistance,..o1..pass nocu-r-l rents. inthe lvreverse direction..` It is readily i seen that When a valve of that type is hooked any accidental drainingoffthe current source,

or prov-ide aground circuit forfithe ignition. system. Tliat is to say, by the interposition of the resistance coil 32 in series Withthe. main or'ignition primary'circuit', there Willbe pro-.` vided a'good conductor. for the'normal flow of current through the said. circ.uit,...but if, for any reason, an abnormalorcontinuous flow of current is created through'this main circuit, such as might occur if the motor; should stop AWith thetimer contacts in engagement", the resistance coil y32 Willtend. to heat. up and by reason. of the consequent increase: in resistance, .theV abnormalilow of current. Willbe gradually .tapered olf untilthatflow ofv current throughthe; circuit i is 'practically reduced to a negligible quantity... Tliusthe source Will'be prevented fromrapi'dly draining.- out. On theother hand, regarding apossible drain circuit that'might.existnbetween the source 2() andtheamoton'fii throughthe resistance32 and` .thence by Way of the con-V ductors Y34 .andV 82that. mightbe regarded-` as.V by-passingthe switch. 71, thereis fno-oppor:

tunity for the vdrain ofthe sourceover that circuit. through? the startingy motor inasmuch. as the. asymmetric cell 8O precludes the passage'v c of any current therethrough except inthe'direction ztovvard. the primary 33'.v F urther, when thestarting motor circuit is closed .thev

available battery current that remainsisbypassed around. theresistance 32andY is suficient. to energize :the primary Vcoil 33. which Wouldl not obtain. ify passedthrough the re- A sistance 32.l The.sparkmanifestation at one.

or another of .the gaps' Will. thereforel beL considerably gre'aterjthan yWouldV obtain if the same available remainder .of cur-rent were tobe impressed.upon the primary: 33- .af-ter passing'through the ,resistance 32.

While the form of embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

Vhat is claimed is as follows:

l. A motor starting circuit comprising in combination, a normal path of resistance for engine operation, a shunted path for energizing a starting motor, and a by-pass about the resistance in said engine operationpath, said by-pass including a unidirectional current Y carrying device, and means for coupling the by-pass into the engine operating circuit only when said starting motor is energized.

2. An automotive ignition circuit compris ing in combination, a primary path including a source of current and inductive windings, a path of resistance normally joining the source and inductive windings, a starting motor shunt also connected with said source and a by-pass including a vunidirectional electric valve arranged in parallel with said resistance, the closing of said starting motor circuit coincidentally connecting the bypass with the source.

3. An automotive ignition and starting circuit comprising in combination, a source of current, inductive windings, means conn-ecting said source and windings, and a starting motor to be energized from said source, said connecting means including parallel paths, one of which includes a fixed resistance, and the other a by-pass with unidirectional current carrying means thcreabout, means for closing the circuit through the starting motor and coincidentally luy-passing the source current about said resistance.

4. An automotive ignition and starting circuit comprising in combination, a current source, an inductive winding, and a path of normal resistance therebetween, a unidirectional electric valve in parallel with said resistance, and means for including the valve in the ignition circuit upon energization of the starting motor. f

5. In an electrical system of the class described, a normal path including a resistance, a shunt including a work device and means for connecting the same with a common source of current, and a unidirectional electric valve for lay-passing the resistance upon energization of the work device.

6. In an electrical system of the class de-V scribed, the combination comprising, an ig nition circuit, a starting motor circuit, a current source supplying both circuits, said ignition circuit including a resistance and a primary winding, an asymmetric cell in parallel with saidresistance, and means for short circuiting the resistance through said cellin Y order to impress upon the primary a higher voltage than is normally obtainable through said resistance.

7. In an electrical system of the class described, the combination comprising, an ignition circuit including a resistance and the primary windings of an ignition coil, a starting motor circuit joining the ignition circuit between the battery and resistance, and

including a starting motor switch, a parallel branch in said ignition circuit energizable coincident with said starting motor circuit, and means connected in said parallel branch to by-pass said resistance, said means being capable of passing current from a common source to the ignition primary but being incapable of reverse direction.

8. In an ignition circuit, a switch, a shunt includinga rcctiiier, said rectiiier operating to increase the primary ampere turns in said circuit during the closing of said switch.

9. In an ignition circuit, switching provisions, an auxiliary circuit including means permitting the passage of current in a single direction, said means increasing the primary ampere turns of said circuit upon actuation of said provisions. j

In testimony whereof I hereto aiiiX my signature. Y

JOHN T. FITZSIMMONS.

passing current in the Y 

